We are a Southern Baptist Church, by affiliation. We cooperate with, and are part of a larger denomination. East Shore Baptist Church (ESBC) is an independent church, which truly believes in God’s Word, the Bible, as the sole source of faith and practice.

Heads or Tails with Jean Harrison

After joining a group of women at church in doing an online devotional called "Good Morning Girls", where the women take a passage of Scripture and "S.O.A.P." it (Scripture-Observation-Application-Prayer) Jean found herself thinking through Scripture and it's application to life in her walks with her new puppy, Buddy. Here are some of her musings...

Acts 27:18 "And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship".

I read this Scripture recently and it really struck a chord with me. I likened myself to this ship as being "exceedingly tempest-tossed". Fear, anxiety, and worry should never be mistaken for flotation devices. They are useless weights dragging me to a place deeper and deeper where there is no light. Why do I clutch these burdensome emotions? Do I think I'm the captain of my ship and have to stay on board while it sinks under the weight of a storm? Really bad plan! What good is a sunken ship on the bottom of the ocean? I suppose it could provide the underwater creatures with a reef eventually. But is that God's plan for my ship? I know it's not.

Wouldn't it be better as a child of God to jettison all that excess, useless weight and lighten the ship? I believe my Heavenly Father lets me hit the bottom of this particular ocean clutching the fear and worry. My Father is saying "I cannot help you when you are so blinded by your own perspective and feelings surrounding this tribulation". I admit I have no control whatsoever and make my decision to trust God with this big blip on my radar. I am wonderfully unshackled and begin my ascent to the surface. My spirit is free to sense Him now that my eyes are not clouded and my ears aren't plugged up with deep sea water anymore.

Jesus is my Life-Saver when I come to my senses and reach for Him. He is always there waiting for me after I lighten my ship and place my trust in Him alone.